start */*/*/

I UK [stɑː(r)t] / US [stɑrt] verb
Word forms "start":
present tense I/you/we/they start he/she/it starts present participle starting past tense started past participle started

1)

a) [intransitive] to begin to happen or take place

Work has started on a new terminal at Heathrow Airport.

The World Championships start in two weeks' time.

The show has just started.

What time does school start in the morning?

start as:

The riot started as a dispute between neighbours.

b) used about a change, movement, process etc

Cellular decay starts at the moment of death.

start doing/to do something:

The leaves have started falling off the trees.

The traffic had started to move more freely now.

His confidence is starting to crumble.

It's starting to rain.

2) [intransitive/transitive] used for saying that someone begins to do something

Please start when you are ready.

Have you started the washing-up yet?

start by:

Let's start by defining our terms.

start with:

The class starts with some gentle stretching exercises.

start doing something:

Everyone in the class started laughing.

start to do something:

I started to unpack my suitcase.

a) [intransitive/transitive] to begin a new job, career, or period of education

When do they want you to start?

Things were very different when I started in politics.

I started as an office boy and worked my way to the top.

start work:

I start work on Monday.

start school/college:

Children start school at age five.

b) [transitive] to begin a period of time in a particular way

start the day/week/year etc:

I usually start the day with a cup of coffee.

New York started the new century with a massive fireworks display.

c) [intransitive/transitive] to be involved in something at the beginning

Of the 36 horses that started the race, only four finished.

3)

a) [intransitive/transitive] to begin a journey

We started early enough but got caught in the London traffic.

It was time to start the long walk back home.

b) [intransitive] to move in a particular direction

The footsteps came again, and then started up the stairs.

start for:

Guy started for the door.

4)

a) [intransitive] used for talking about the nearest end or edge of something

The new houses start immediately beyond the bridge.

b) used for talking about the lowest price or number

start from/at:

Prices for cushion covers start from £18.

The house numbers start at 20.

5) [transitive] to cause something, or to be the first person to do something

Have you any idea who might have started the fire?

The police insist that they didn't start the confrontation.

Who wants to start the discussion?

"Don't talk to me like that!" "You started it!"

a) to cause someone to do something

start someone doing something:

What she said started me thinking.

b) to bring a business, organization, or project into existence

He decided to quit his job and start his own business.

6)

a) [transitive] to switch on a machine or engine, especially a motor vehicle

Scott started the engine and drove off.

b) [intransitive] to begin to work

No matter how many times he tried, the car wouldn't start.

7) [intransitive] informal to begin to complain or be angry about something

It only takes the slightest thing to make her start.

Don't start!

8) [intransitive] to move suddenly because you are afraid or surprised by something

The noise made him start.

•

- back where you started

- get started

- get someone started

- to start with

Phrasal verbs:

- start back

- start in

- start off

- start on

- start out

- start over

- start up

See:

start-up

II UK [stɑː(r)t] / US [stɑrt] noun
Word forms "start":
singular start plural starts

1)

a) [singular] the beginning of a period of time

start of:

At the start of the final year, students do work experience.

The revolutions of 1848 marked the start of a fascinating period in world history.

This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

from start to finish:

The operation takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.

b) [singular] the beginning of a film, story, show etc

Let's look at the start of the story in more detail.

Hurry up or we'll miss the start.

2) [singular] the way that someone begins a period of time or activity

start to:

There's no better start to the day than a healthy breakfast.

have/make a great/fine/excellent etc start:

Hakkinen had a great start and was in second place by the first corner.

Waddle has made an excellent start to his new career.

•

Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with start
▪  bad, disastrous, good, inauspicious, promising, rocky, shaky, slow

3) [singular] the beginning of a journey

After an early start, we were soon out of the city.

4) [singular] the moment when a race begins

The start has been brought forward by 30 minutes.

a) [singular] the place where a race begins

The runners were all gathered at the start.

b) [countable] mainly journalism an occasion when a sports player takes part in a game at the beginning

Liverpool gave Jamie Redknapp his first start of the season against Fulham.

c) [singular] an advantage that you have in a race or competition, by beginning it in a better position than the other people

The women runners are given a 50-metre start.

5) [singular] a big change, or a new opportunity in your life

a new/fresh start:

She travelled to Hong Kong, hoping for a new start.

give someone a start:

The money she lent him would give him a fresh start.

6) [singular] a sudden movement that you make because you are surprised or afraid

give a start:

She gave a nervous start as the door suddenly opened.

give someone a start:

A noise in the road gave us all a start.

wake/sit up with a start:

She woke with a start from her dream.

•

be/get off to a good/bad/slow etc start — used for saying that something begins in a particular manner, especially a race or a competition

She got off to a slow start in her election campaign.

The Games are off to a flying start with a new world record in the women's marathon.

(right) from the start — immediately when something begins and all the time after that

I hated her right from the start.

- for a start

- make a start

- start in life

See:

fit III